Stupa

The stupa, whose name means "hair knot" in Sanskrit, is an important element of Buddhist architecture, being found at nearly all Buddhist temples and monasteries.

The earliest and many contemporary stupas are in fact tombs, containing the relics of the Buddha or other important Buddhist figures. Among the most significant stupas are the eight monuments erected to commemorate the important events of the Buddha's life - e.g. at Lumbini, his birthplace; Bodhi gaya, where he reached complete enlightenment after forty-nine days of meditation under the Bodhi tree; Kushinagara, where he reached nirvana; and Sarnath, where he gave his first discourse to his disciples.1 Modern stupas are typically constructed not as memorial monuments but as symbols of worship, containing sacred texts and idols rather than human remains.

There are several variations to the form of the stupa, but its general shape is universal. The top of the stupa consists of an ornament representing the sun, moon, and lotus flower; this surmounts a tall, conical spire, representing the royal umbrella, one of the "eight auspicious symbols"; the main body of the stupa contains relics and sacred objects. Stupas constructed in the Tibetan style typically have a base with two sets of four and ten steps, representing the four positive states of mind (love, compassion, joy, and equanimity), and the ten stages in the development of a Bodhisattva.

Notes

[1] In the Mahāparinibbāna Sutta, the Buddha left instructions that a stupa should be constructed over his relics.

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